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Hundred Years' War
The Hundred Years' War was a prolonged conflict in Europe in the late Middle Ages (from 1337 to 1453). It was fought intermittently between two royal houses, both of which were vying for the French throne. There were periods of peace, as the parties agreed temporarily to truce; but inevitably, soon or later, war would break out again. Nicolas de Brabant spent much of this period in France, along with his master, LaCroix, and lover, Janette. No doubt they saw much of the conflict, since battlefields draw vampires to the easy pickings.Unreality TV However, the only evidence from the flashback scenes in the episodes indicates that, towards in the last stage of the Hundred Years' War, Nicolas met the French champion, Jeanne d'Arc, on more than one occasion.For I Have Sinned Impressed by her courage, he offered to bring her over; but she refused, called by her "voices" to lead the Valois forces to victory. When she was captured by the English and condemned, she held firm in her refusal, and was burned at the stake. A Hundred Years of War In 1337, the French throne became vacant; and as the senior Capetian line of French kings had become extinct, there was dispute over who had the best claim to rule. The two primary contenders were the House of Valois and the House of Plantagenet, also known as the House of Anjou. The House of Valois claimed the title of King of France. The Plantagenets had their roots in the French regions of Anjou and Normandy, though they are better known as rulers of England, and claimed the title of Kings of France and England. French soldiers fought on both sides, with Burgundy and Aquitaine providing notable support for the Plantagenet side. The conflict lasted 116 years; but it was punctuated by several brief, and two lengthy periods of peace. The "Hundred Years' War" is therefore actually a series of conflicts; and the name is actually only a term invented by historians to describe the series of events. The Hundred Years' War is commonly divided four phases: the Edwardian War (1337–1360), the Caroline War (1369–1389), the Lancastrian War (1415–1429), and the slow decline of English fortunes after the appearance of Joan of Arc (1412–1431). It finally ended in the expulsion of the Plantagenets from almost all of France (except the Pale of Calais). Ultimately, therefore, the war was a resounding victory for the house of Valois. The war owes its historical significance to a number of factors. Though primarily a dynastic conflict, the war gave impetus to ideas of both French and English nationality. Militarily, it saw new weapons and tactics, which eroded the older system of feudal armies dominated by heavy cavalry. One innovation was the introduction of the first standing armies in Western Europe since the time of the Western Roman Empire, thus changing the role of the peasantry. For all this, as well as for its long duration, it is often viewed as one of the most significant conflicts in the history of medieval warfare. From the French perspective, the English invasion, civil wars, deadly epidemics, famines, and marauding mercenary armies (many of whom turned to banditry) actually reduced the population by two-thirds. On the other hand, England was shorn of its Continental possessions and left an island nation, a fact which profoundly affected its outlook and development. :Adapted from the Wikipedia article on the Hundred Years' war. List of References Category:Historical Background